WHERE: Nearly 230 cases of mysterious hepatitis worldwide

Nearly 230 cases of mysterious hepatitis affecting children have been reported worldwide, the World Health Organization has announced.

The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to receive dozens of warnings of unexplained hepatitis cases in children, with a total of almost 230 possible cases worldwide, the organization announced today.

"Thus, on May 1, at least 228 cases were reported to the WHO in 20 countries, and more than 50 other cases are being investigated," WHO spokesman Tariq Jasarevic told reporters during a regular briefing by the WHO in Geneva.

"These cases have been reported in four of the six WHO districts," he added.

The causes of these serious inflammations of the liver remain unknown.

The majority of cases were reported in Europe, initially in the United Kingdom.

This hepatitis mainly affects children under 10 years of age and manifests itself with symptoms such as jaundice, diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In some cases, a liver transplant was needed. At least one child died.

The common viruses that cause acute viral hepatitis (A to E) have not been identified in any of the cases, according to the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) and the WHO.

An analysis of these mysterious cases of hepatitis in the US led the US health authorities last week to rule out the possibility of an adenovirus, without definitively deciding that they are due to it.

Adenoviruses are common viruses and are generally better known for causing respiratory symptoms, conjunctivitis or digestive disorders.

Source: RES-EAP